‘Are they really allowed to treat me like that?’ – A qualitative study to explore the nature of formal patient complaints about mental healthcare services in Sweden

COVID-19 has caused a shortage of healthcare workers and has strained healthcare systems globally. Pre-registered healthcare students with training have a duty of care and can support the healthcare workforce. This study explored factors influencing the willingness of final-year nursing students to volunteer during the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of professional identity in volunteering as healthcare workers, and strategies to improve future volunteering uptakes and processes. A qualitative study using focus-group discussions was conducted. Final-year nursing students who volunteered, students who did not volunteer, and lecturers who supervised student volunteers were recruited. Interviews were conducted online, video-recorded, and transcribed verbatim. A thematic analysis was used. The themes were “wavering thoughts on volunteering”, “bringing out ‘the nurse’ in students through volunteering” and “gearing up to volunteer”. Findings suggested the need to look beyond the simplicity of altruism to the role of professional identity, operational, and motivational factors to explain nursing students’ decision to volunteer and their volunteer behavior. Providing accommodation, monetary and academic-related incentives, supporting the transitionary phase from students to “professional volunteers”, promoting cohesive and positive staff–student volunteer relationships, and establishing a volunteer management team are strategies identified to improve volunteering uptake and operational processes. Our findings advocate strategic partnerships between hospitals/communities and academic institutions in providing various healthcare services during pandemics.

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Use of symptom checkers for COVID-19-related symptoms among university students: a qualitative study

BMJ Innovations ◽

10.1136/bmjinnov-2020-000498 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. bmjinnov-2020-000498

Author(s):

Stephanie Aboueid ◽

Samantha B Meyer ◽

James R Wallace ◽

Shreya Mahajan ◽

Teeyaa Nur ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Qualitative Study ◽

Thematic Analysis ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Qualitative Interviews ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Healthcare Systems ◽

Positive Experience ◽

Perceived Credibility ◽

Inductive Thematic Analysis

ObjectiveSymptom checkers are potentially beneficial tools during pandemics. To increase the use of the platform, perspectives of end users must be gathered. Our objectives were to understand the perspectives and experiences of young adults related to the use of symptom checkers for assessing COVID-19-related symptoms and to identify areas for improvement.MethodsWe conducted semistructured qualitative interviews with 22 young adults (18–34 years of age) at a university in Ontario, Canada. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed using inductive thematic analysis.ResultsWe identified six main themes related to the decision of using a symptom checker for COVID-19 symptoms: (1) presence of symptoms or a combination of symptoms, (2) knowledge about COVID-19 symptoms, (3) fear of seeking in-person healthcare services, (4) awareness about symptom checkers, (5) paranoia and (6) curiosity. Participants who used symptom checkers shared by governmental entities reported an overall positive experience. Individuals who used non-credible sources reported suboptimal experiences due to lack of perceived credibility. Five main areas for improvement were identified: (1) information about the creators of the platform, (2) explanation of symptoms, (3) personalised experience, (4) language options, and (5) option to get tested.ConclusionsThis study suggests an increased acceptance of symptom checkers due to the perceived risks of infection associated with seeking in-person healthcare services. Symptom checkers have the potential to reduce the burden on healthcare systems and health professionals, especially during pandemics; however, these platforms could be improved to increase use.

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Patient Complaints about Physician Behaviors: A Qualitative Study

Academic Medicine ◽

10.1097/00001888-200402000-00008 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 79 (2) ◽

pp. 134-138 ◽

Cited By ~ 74

Author(s):

Marcia M. Wofford ◽

James L. Wofford ◽

Jashoda Bothra ◽

S Bryant Kendrick ◽

Amanda Smith ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Study ◽

Patient Complaints

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Interventions to promote psychiatric patients’ compliance to mental health treatment: A systematic review

Health SA Gesondheid ◽

10.4102/hsag.v19i1.799 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Mosidi B. Serobatse ◽

Emmerentia Du Plessis ◽

Magdalena P. Koen

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Mental Health Treatment ◽

Psychiatric Patients ◽

Research Question ◽

Mental Healthcare ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Current Evidence ◽

Health Treatment

Background: Non-compliance to treatment remains one of the greatest challenges in mental healthcare services, and how to improve this remains a problem.Aim: The aim of this study was to critically synthesise the best available evidence from literature regarding interventions to promote psychiatric patients’ compliance to mental health treatment. The interventions can be made available for mental health professionals to use in clinical practice.Method: A systematic review was chosen as a design to identify primary studies that answered the following research question: What is the current evidence on interventions to promote psychiatric patients’ compliance to mental health treatment? Selected electronic databases were thoroughly searched. Studies were critically appraised and identifid as answeringthe research questions. Evidence extraction, analysis and synthesis were then conducted by means of evidence class rating and grading of strength prescribed in the American Dietetic Association’s manual.Results: The systematic review identifid several interventions that can improve patients’ compliance in mental health treatment, for example adherence therapy and motivational interviewing techniques during in-hospital stay.Conclusions: Conclusions were drawn and recommendations formulated for nursing practice, education and research.Agtergrond: Geen-samewerking met behandeling bly steeds een van die grootste uitdagings in geestesgesondheidsorgdienste, en genoegsame kennis oor hoe om dit te verbeter, is steeds ’n probleem.Doelwit: Die doel van hierdie studie was om die beskikbare bewyse vanuit literatuur aangaande intervensies ter bevordering van psigiatriese pasiënte se samewerking met geestesgesondheidsbehandeling krities te sintetiseer. Hierdie intervensies kan aan professionele gesondheidsorgpersoneel beskikbaar gestel word ter bevordering van psigiatriese pasiënte se samewerking met geestesgesondheidsbehandeling.Metode: ’n Sistematiese literatuuroorsig is gekies as die ontwerp om primêre studieste identifieer wat die volgende navorsingsvraag beantwoord: Wat is die huidige kennis ten opsigte van intervensies wat psigiatriese pasiënte se samewerking met geestesgesondheidsbehandeling bevorder?Resultate: Studies is ingesluit vir kritiese gehalte-beoordeling ten opsigte van metodologie, en is uiteindelik geïdentifieer as bronne van bewyse wat die literatuuroorsigvraag toepaslik beantwoord. Bewysonttrekking, -analise en -sintese is gedoen deur middel van die beoordeling van bewysklas en -gradering van bewyssterkte, soos voorgeskryf in die American Dietetic Association se handleiding. Die sistemiese literatuuroorsig het aangedui datdaar heelparty intervensies is wat psigiatriese pasiënte se samewerking met behandeling kan verbeter, byvoorbeeld samewerkingsterapie en motiveringsonderhoudstegnieke.Gevolgtrekking: Gevolgtrekkings is gemaak en aanbevelings is geformuleer vir die verpleegpraktyk, verpleegonderrig en navorsing in verpleging.

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Socio-Sexual Experiences and Access to Healthcare Among Informal PrEP Users in the Netherlands

AIDS and Behavior ◽

10.1007/s10461-020-03085-9 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Mart van Dijk ◽

John B. F. de Wit ◽

Rebecca Kamps ◽

Thomas E. Guadamuz ◽

Joel E. Martinez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sexual Behavior ◽

Qualitative Study ◽

The Netherlands ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Well Being ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Interpretive Description ◽

Sex Partners ◽

Sex With Men ◽

Incorrect Information

AbstractThe aim of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of informal PrEP users regarding access to PrEP and PrEP-related healthcare, community responses, sexual behavior and well-being. We interviewed 30 men who have sex with men (MSM) in semi-structured online interviews between March and August 2018. Interviews were analyzed using interpretive description. Informal PrEP users were well informed about the use of PrEP, but sometimes did not make use of renal testing. Participants reported a lack of PrEP knowledge among healthcare providers, which limited their access to PrEP and put them at risk, as they received incorrect information. Although some participants reported negative reactions from potential sex partners, most received positive reactions and were sometimes seen as more desirable sex partners. PrEP healthcare services should not only be accessible to formal PrEP users, but also to PrEP users who procure PrEP informally.

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The nature of patient complaints: a resource for healthcare improvements

International Journal for Quality in Health Care ◽

10.1093/intqhc/mzy215 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 31 (7) ◽

pp. 556-562 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Anna RÅBERUS ◽

Inger K HOLMSTRÖM ◽

Kathleen GALVIN ◽

Annelie J SUNDLER

Keyword(s):

Reporting System ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Publicly Funded ◽

Patient Harm ◽

Patient Complaints ◽

Communication Needs ◽

The Individual ◽

Systematic Random Sample ◽

Made In

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to explore the nature, potential usefulness and meaning of complaints lodged by patients and their relatives. Design A retrospective, descriptive design was used. Setting The study was based on a sample of formal patient complaints made through a patient complaint reporting system for publicly funded healthcare services in Sweden. Participants A systematic random sample of 170 patient complaints was yielded from a total of 5689 patient complaints made in a Swedish county in 2015. Main outcome measure Themes emerging from patient complaints analysed using a qualitative thematic method. Results The patient complaints reported patients’ or their relatives’ experiences of disadvantages and problems faced when seeking healthcare services. The meanings of the complaints reflected six themes regarding access to healthcare services, continuity and follow-up, incidents and patient harm, communication, attitudes and approaches, and healthcare options pursued against the patient’s wishes. Conclusions The patient complaints analysed in this study clearly indicate a number of specific areas that commonly give rise to dissatisfaction; however, the key findings point to the significance of patients’ exposure and vulnerability. The findings suggest that communication needs to be improved overall and that patient vulnerability could be successfully reduced with a strong interpersonal focus. Prerequisites for meeting patients’ needs include accounting for patients’ preferences and views both at the individual and organizational levels.

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Understanding barriers to accessing mental health services for newcomers to Canada using Peterborough, Ontario, as an illustrative example

10.32920/ryerson.14657181.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Nurun Layla Chowdhury

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Services ◽

Health Services ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Mental Healthcare ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Mental Illnesses ◽

Cultural Barriers ◽

Accurate Information

The quality of an individual’s mental health has a significant impact on their quality of life, as well as on the cost to society. Regular access to mental health services can help mitigate the risk factors of developing mental illnesses. This paper examines barriers to accessing mental health services, using the community of Peterborough, Ontario, as an example. Social, economic, and cultural barriers impact help-seeking amongst immigrants, putting them at a higher risk of developing mental disorders. The social determinants of mental health can be useful when developing policies aimed at improving utilization of mental healthcare services. Policy makers need to first focus on collecting accurate information on the population, and then developing targeted solutions to eliminate barriers such as language and employment that prevent help-seeking in immigrants.

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